The new headquarters for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will be built by China, the group confirmed in a press statement on Wednesday March 14, 2018.
The political bloc and China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the project that is expected to cost $31.6 million.
“The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Jean-Claude Brou and the Ambassador of China to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Zhou Pingjian signed for both parties in a bilateral meeting held at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters, Abuja,” the statement read.
The idea of a new headquarters was initiated in 2012 but action on the said project takes immediate effect from the date of the signing of the deal.
The project is expected to cater for a facility comprising offices and conference complex building, as well as road facilities, electrical equipment, parking lots and security posts within the proposed site of the project.
ECOWAS currently operates from three different building in Nigeria’s administrative capital, Abuja. According to the President of the ECOWAS Commission that situation was necessitated by the increasing numbers of staff.
“An ECOWAS designated authority and the China Development Bank Corporation will work together to verify records of account payments at regular intervals,” the statement further clarified.
According to original reports, the development emphasizes China’s political and diplomatic investment in Africa. But is that all there is to it?
China built the African Union (A.U.) headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. They are also building a new parliament for Congo Republic and rebuilding the burnt premises in Gabon.
China is doling out the cash for these "investments", and African nations are just comfortable doing nothing. It's not that China is an imperialist, of course they are not. But they do have their own goals.
This year, China was accused by French newspaper, Le Monde, of spying on the African Union. The repor said China had installed hidden microphones in the AU building. And had been using it to transfer sensitive information at night time.
The A.U. and China jointly rubbished the report with China describing it as preposterous and meant to damage relations between the two partners.
The political bloc and China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the project that is expected to cost $31.6 million.
“The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Jean-Claude Brou and the Ambassador of China to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Zhou Pingjian signed for both parties in a bilateral meeting held at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters, Abuja,” the statement read.
The idea of a new headquarters was initiated in 2012 but action on the said project takes immediate effect from the date of the signing of the deal.
The project is expected to cater for a facility comprising offices and conference complex building, as well as road facilities, electrical equipment, parking lots and security posts within the proposed site of the project.
ECOWAS currently operates from three different building in Nigeria’s administrative capital, Abuja. According to the President of the ECOWAS Commission that situation was necessitated by the increasing numbers of staff.
“An ECOWAS designated authority and the China Development Bank Corporation will work together to verify records of account payments at regular intervals,” the statement further clarified.
Why China Again?
According to original reports, the development emphasizes China’s political and diplomatic investment in Africa. But is that all there is to it?
China built the African Union (A.U.) headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. They are also building a new parliament for Congo Republic and rebuilding the burnt premises in Gabon.
China is doling out the cash for these "investments", and African nations are just comfortable doing nothing. It's not that China is an imperialist, of course they are not. But they do have their own goals.
This year, China was accused by French newspaper, Le Monde, of spying on the African Union. The repor said China had installed hidden microphones in the AU building. And had been using it to transfer sensitive information at night time.
The A.U. and China jointly rubbished the report with China describing it as preposterous and meant to damage relations between the two partners.
This post have 0 komentar
Share your thoughts with me...
EmoticonEmoticon